The Education System in the United States

1. The Education System in the United States

2. Vocabulary -Principal -Superintendent -Administrator -Custodian -subject -to enroll -to apply -to educate -enrollment -Pre-school -Kindergarten Elementary School -Middle School (Junior High School) -High School -College -Graduate school -Teacher -Student -major -minor -tuition -scholarship -institution -university -public school -private school -charter school

3. School in the United States Pre-School (Ages 4 or 5) Kindergarten (Ages 5 or 6) Elementary School – 5 Years (Ages 6 to 11) Middle School – 3 Years (Ages 11 to 13/14) High School – 4 Years (Ages 14 to 18) College – 4 Years (Typically, ages 18 to 22) Graduate School (Typically, ages 22 +) Masters’ Doctorate Law School Medical School

4. Pre-School and Kindergarten • In the United States, children are required to attend a year of school before the 1st grade of Elementary school. This school is called kindergarten (a word taken from the German). • Kindergarten usually consists of a half-day of school, whether in the morning (roughly 9 AM till 12 noon) or in the afternoon (12 noon to 3 PM), 5 days a week. • Pre-school is not required, but parents often choose to enroll their children for 2 years of school even before kindergarten.

5. Elementary School • Elementary school (grades 1 – 5) is the first time students are required to attend a full day of school, typically from 8 AM until 2:30 or 3 PM • Most elementary schools have multiple sections of each grade level, with roughly 20-30 students in each classroom • Public schools tend to have more students than private schools; private schools may have as few as 12 – 15 students in a class at a time • Parents choose to pay to send their children to private school so that they can get more individual attention

6. Elementary School • Typically, in grades 1 – 3, the same teacher will teach the students all of the material, e.g. Math, Language, Reading, Social Studies, Science, Handwriting • In grades 4 & 5, there may be a separate teacher for Math, Science and Reading • Students are given recess 1-2 times a day, as well as a period for lunch, and at least a couple times a week a gym (physical education) class • In addition to teachers, staff of an elementary school includes a principal and vice principal, secretaries, and custodians

7. Middle School • Grades 6 – 8; in some regions of the United States, the term Junior High School is used instead • Middle school teachers typically teach a single subject (in some cases two if the subject matter is related, or if the teacher has expertise in the subject) • Mathematics (Pre-algebra, algebra, geometry), Science (biology, chemistry, geology), English (grammar, writing, literature), language* (Spanish, French, German and/or Latin), History (World and United States), Computer science, religion (in private/religious school), health class (nutrition, drugs and alcohol education, sexual education)

8. Middle School • Some students are selected to be placed in accelerated classes, in which subject matter is covered more rigorously and more rapidly • Placement based on ability and work ethic • Private schools tend to offer greater accelerated opportunities for gifted students than do public schools

9. High School • Similar format and subject material as middle school, but material taught in greater detail • Even more opportunity for accelerated classes for gifted students (Honors, Advanced Placement – AP) • High schools are geared towards college preparation • SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or ACT (similar test) required by the vast majority of American colleges and universities • Test language, reading comprehension, writing reasoning, and mathematics skills • High school mathematics (geometry, trigonometry, calculus) and language classes aim to prepare students for the SATs

10. High School • Name of years (in high school as well as college): • 1styear – Freshman • 2ndyear – Sophomore • 3rdyear – Junior • 4thyear – Senior

11. High School – extracurricular activities • High school sports are very popular in the United States with two main levels of competition : Varsity and Junior Varsity • Popular sports: Football (boys only), basketball, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, field hockey (girls), ice hockey, track and field, volleyball • High school theater is also popular among high school students; preparation for a play or a musical often takes a few months • Other extracurricular opportunities: school band, chorus, student government, various social clubs

12. Teachers’ pay • Teachers’ salary is a major point of contention in the United States; many states legislatures are cutting their pay due to the fact that they do not work summers • Range: $35,000 – 60,000 • Depending on state, school, whether public or private, and tenure/experience/degrees obtained • Public school teachers make more than private schools (state funding) • School administrators typically make more; more pay for school district superintendents, etc.

13. American College and University System • Public or private, American colleges and universities vary greatly in size, quality, location, system, etc. • Colleges can have enrollments of anywhere from a couple hundred students to 45,000 – 50,000 (largest universities: Ohio State University, University of Texas at Austin, Penn State University) • Tuition is less expensive for students who attend a public school within their home state • Tuition range: $10,000/year - $50,000/ year • Students may receive scholarships, for their academic performance, sports, theater, etc. • Students must select a major or area of concentration to study, typically by their sophomore or second year in college

14. Colleges and Universities • Popular majors: • Business/Economics • Biology • Chemistry • Pre-Med (specifically for students planning on going to medical school) • Accounting • History • English • Language (e.g. Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Italian, etc.) • Psychology

15. American Colleges and Universities • Typically, students have graduated within 4 years, but it is not uncommon for students to graduate (to obtain their B.A. or B.S.) in 4 and a half or 5 years. • B.A. / B.S. : Bachelor of the Arts/ Sciences • Classes are either 3 or 4 credits each, and students need 124 – 130 credits depending on the institution, the major, etc. • For certain graduate schools, students need even more undergraduate credits in order to gain admission • Graduate school is becoming more and more popular in the United States as students aim to differentiate themselves before entering the workforce.

16. Graduate School • A lot of times, American people will work for a year or more after graduating from their undergraduate institutions (college or university) and go back for a Masters’ and/or Doctorate degree • Popular Graduate degrees sought: Business (M.B.A., Law Degrees, various areas of concentration – engineering, History, Education, etc., Medical school) • First level of graduate school: M.A. /M.S. (Master of the arts/sciences) • Second level of graduate school: Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) • Separate - Law degree (J.D. – Jurist Doctorate), Medical degree (M.D. – Medical Doctor)

17. More on Postgraduate Education • Typically, one can expect a better salary in a chosen field the higher level of degree attained. • In order to teach and/or research a subject at the College or University level, one must attain a Ph.D. (in almost all cases) • In order to teach at the high school level (and below), a lot of times one only needs a B.A. or B.S., however some schools/systems require an M.A. or M.S. • Otherwise, teachers can expect better pay and a better chance at receiving tenure with a higher degree attained.

18. Questions?